Shareholders of Fesco reported to the police about the theft of company money

Shareholders of the transport group Fesco (part of the "Sum" group Ziyavudin Magomedov) appealed to the police with a statement about the theft of company money. This was stated by the investigator at a meeting in the Moscow City Court, reports Interfax. The court today is considering complaints about the arrests of accounts of some companies in connection with the investigation of the case of the brothers Ziyavudin and Magomed Magomedov. Both were arrested in late March and charged with creating a criminal community and stealing state funds for a total of about 2.5 billion rubles.

"From the shareholders of Fesco received a statement in which it was reported on the theft of company money," the investigator said. - The application was sent for verification in GUEBiPK ".

According to her, this once again confirms the need to find company accounts under arrest in order to exclude transfer of funds from them to third parties.

The statement about embezzlement of funds was signed by anonymous shareholders, says a person close to the "Sum" group. The author of it may not be shareholders, it seems like a provocation, the interlocutor says. According to him, there were no investigative actions on this statement in the company.

Which of the shareholders wrote to the police is unknown. Fesco (the parent company - Far Eastern Shipping Company, FESCO) is one of the largest Russian owners and operators of port infrastructure with an integrated railway and logistics business. 32.5% of FESCO shares belong to the "Sum" group, 23.8% - GHP Group, 17.4% - TPG, 4.9% - East Capital (data for 2015).

Fesco did not receive requests from shareholders with such issues, and at the annual meeting of FESCO, at the end of June, none of the shareholders present raised the issue, the company's press service reported. "Appeals also did not apply to our special contacts against corruption. Currently, the group's activities are conducted in a regular mode, if necessary we are ready to provide law enforcement bodies with all necessary materials and information, "the press service said. Vedomosti expects comments from shareholders and a representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The company's activity has always been legal, Fesco representative Daniil Sidorov said at the meeting. "The investigation believes that the companies on which arrest was imposed were used as tools of crime and financed the criminal activities of the Magomedov brothers," he quoted Interfax. According to him, the findings of the investigation are "unreasonable and far-fetched." "These companies are public, conduct public business and use money exclusively for settlement with their counterparties," the lawyer added. He also said that since May 2018 Fesco has been experiencing difficulties in paying salaries, holidays, social benefits to employees (there are about 5000 of them). "We can not pay taxes <...>. The investigation completely unreasonably blocked virtually all the financial activities of companies whose accounts are seized, "he added.

Due to the arrest of accounts in the Magomedov case, another company - "Elevator" (part of the United Grain Company) also can not pay taxes and salaries. This was said by her representative on July 30 in court.

In total, arrests were made into accounts and stakes in the authorized capital of 24 companies controlled by the Magomedov brothers, according to the investigation.